Belt buckle



F. E. FORSELL BELT BUCKLE Filed Nov. 3, 1921 ATTORNEY W Y W M Patented Dec. 30, 1924..

UNITED QFFICE.

FRANS EDWARD FORSELL, 0F PRGVEDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 PARKS BROS. & ROGERS, OF PB-OVIFJENGE, RHODE ISLAND, A CQRPO'RATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

BELT BUCKLE.

Application filed November 3, 1921.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, FRANs EDWARD Fon- SELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Belt Buckles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Among the principal. objects which the present invention has in view are: to provide a permanent len th adjustment for an end opening belt; to provide an efiicient locking device that is simple in construction; to provide an economical construction which may be manufactured readily and easily.

Drawings.

Figure 1 is a view showing the back of a buckle constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention, and strap fragments disposed in service relation thereto.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, the section being taken on the line 22 in Fig. 1, the broken lines shown in the said figure being employed to illustrate the open position assumed tor adjusting the belt.

Figure 3 is a detailed view showing the male member of a snap clasp forming partof the preferred construction.

Figure 1 is a view of the female portion of the said snap clasp, theview being taken as from a plane indicated by the line 4t4 in Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a view showing on reduced scale a modified form of the snap clasp.

Figure 6 is a top view of the said female portion of the clasp.

Figure 7 is a transverse section taken on the line '77 of Figure 5.

Description.

In the present buckle there are two engaging members, the one providing primarily means for engaging in adjustable relation the free end of the belt, and the other for engaging the first mentioned member in fixed relation.

The first mentioned member as seen in the drawings embodies a face platell, the 0pposite edges of'which are upturned to r'orm Serial No. 512,513.

guide flanges 12. The flanges 12 are suitably pierced to form bearings for the pintles 13 extended from the rear end of the clamp plate 141.

The clan'ip plate 1 1 has a downturned jaw 15 for trictionally engaging the belt at the tree end portion 16 thereof. The jaw 15 is sufficiently long to become embedded in said belt at the said free end when the plate 1 1 is depressed so that the free end thereof rests on the belt as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

It will be noted that when the plate 14 is disposed in locked position as shown best by full lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the pulling strain on the belt is such as would endeavor to rock the plate 1d on the pintles 13 in which event they are prevented by the free end of the plate 1 1 resting on the said belt.

YVhenever it is desired to adjust the belt, the plate 11 and belt are rocked on the plate 1 1 to the position shown by broken lines in F 2 of the drawings. The jaw 15 as shown in. this figure of the drawings remains relatively stationary, thereby releasing its engagement from the belt so that the belt is freely movable between the edge of the said jaw and the back or inner side of the plate 11. In this manner the belt may be drawn closer upon the wearer or released. When properly adjusted the plate 11 is rocked back to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings with the result that the jaw 15 positively engages the belt to hold it in permanent relation.

The plate 141- provides means for engaging the snap member 17. The snap member 17 as shown best in Fig. 3 of the drawing has spring arms 18. The extremities of the spring arms 18 are laterally extended. to form latch heads 19 which in service are adapted to extend behind the. shoulders 20 formed in the jaw 15, and at each side of the cutaway portion 21 produced therein, and abut oft-set lugs 22 struck up from the plate 1 1, when fully and properly engaged as shown best in Figures 2 and 4 of thedrawings. n

The spring arms 18 are extended :Erom

the body portion of the member 17 forming a central opening 23 to increase the re siliency of the said arms. A shank 24 connects the member 17 with an enlarged eyelet 25 through which the free end of a belt loop 26 extends, as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

In operation, after the belt has been adjustedas to size, the plate 11 is closed down from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 to the position in full lines in the said figure. If new the wearer Wishes to remove the belt, the member 17 is forced forward or in the general line of the meeting ends ofthe belt. The rounded front ends of the heads 19 ride on the shoulders 20 contracting the arms 18 to permit the heads 19 to pass from engagement with the said shoulders 20; The body of the member 17 conformsapproximately in shape and size with the opening 27 in the plate 14. When the member 17 is m ved forward sufficiently for the heads 15) to clear the shoulders 20 it will be found that the body of the member 17 is in line with the opening 27 and can be lifted from engagement therewith. The two members canthen be easily and readily separated and the belt opened,

the one end of the belt carrying in adjusted position the plates 11 and 14, while the other end carries the member 17 only. To re-close the belt, the ends are drawn together until thebody of the plate 17 0011- forms with the opening 27 in the plate 1 when it is pressed therein. This brings the rear surfaces of the heads 19 in line with the shoulders 20 so that the arm 18 can be contracted sufliciently for the heads to i pass back-of the shoulders 20 and in front construction of the invention, the modificatracted holding extension.

the shank 2 1 of the snap member 17 is an of the lugs 22. In this position it will be found that the shoulders 28 at the rear of the body of the member 17 also engages the body of the plate 1 1 to withstand the strain of the pull of the belt. In the closed position of the plates 11 and 14 the two plates are held from opening by the indents 29 v to engage the side edges of the plate 14.

The buckles constructed as above described are particularly advantageous for opening and closing the belt rapidly without losing the preferred service adjustment thereof.

In Figures 5-and 6 is shown the modified tion consisting in providing in the plate 14:, an eyelet 30 of usual form, that is having an enlarged entrance extension and a con outwardly turned button 31, the shank 32 of which enters the contracted end of the eyelet 30 to be held there by spring portions 33 formed by upsetting the sides of the contracted portion of the eyelet 30.

The modified form of the invention possesses certain features of economy, but

the preferred form shown in Figures 1 to At the end of l inclusive is thought to be better adapted for general use.

Claim 8.

1. A belt buckle comprising a face plate, a belt end clamping member pivoted on the rear side of said face plate, and having an opening formed centrally thereof, an angu- 2. X belt buckle comprising a face plate,

a belt end clamping member pivoted on the rear side of said face plate and adjacent one end thereof; and having an opening formed centrally therein and angularly disposed jaw formed at the pivoted end of said clamping member and adapted to clamp the belt end against the rear side 'of the face plate when operative,the free end of said clamping member being curved inwardly toward the rear side of said face plate'and adapted to supplement the clamping action of said jaw, said jaw having a slotted opening formed intermediate its ends, a's nap member having'an eyelet at one end for the attachment; thereto of the opposite endof the belt, and resilient latch arms carried at the opposite end of said snap member and adapted to be passed into the central open ing ofsaid clamping member and engaged in the said slotted opening of said] aw.

3. A. belt buckle comprising a face plate.

a belt end clamping member pivoted on the rear side of said face plate and adjacent one end thereof, an angularly disposed jaw formed at the pivoted end of said clamping member and adapted to clamp the'belt end against the rear side of said face plate when operative, said clamping member having its free end curved inwardly toward the rear side of said face plate for supplementing the clamping action of said jaw and an opening formed intermediate. its ends, and extending towards the jaw at the other end thereof said jaw having a slotted opening formed intermediate its ends, a snap memher having an eyelet at one end for the attachment thereto of theopposite end of the belt, and resilient latch arms carried atthe opposite end of said snap member and adapted to be passed through the opening in said clamping member and engaged in the slotted opening of said jaw.

4. A belt buckle comprising a face plate,

a belt end clamping member pivoted at one end on the rear side of said face plate and adjacent one end thereof, an angularly disposed jaw formed at the pivoted end of said clamping member and adapted to clamp the belt end against the rear side of said face plate when operative, said clamping memher having its opposite end curved inwardly toward the rear side of said face plate for supplementing the clamping action of said jaw and a circular opening formed centrally thereof with a slot Way extending there from and opening through the inner portion of the curved end of the same, said jaw having a slotted opening formed intermediate its ends, a snap member having an eyelet at one end for the attachment thereto 0f the opposite end of the belt, a substantially circular enlargement formed centrally of said snap member and having shoulders at the opposite sides thereof spaced from the eyelet therein, and resilient latch arms extending forwardly from said enlargement, said snap member being adapted to be inserted through the circular opening of said clamping member for the engagement of said latch arms in the slotted opening of said jaw and whereby the shouldered portions of said enlargement will engage the slotted extension of the circular opening when the enlargement is disposed between said clamping member and the clamped end of the belt and the belt is tightened about the wearer.

5. A belt buckle comprising a face plate inturned guide flanges formed at the upper and lower edges of said face plate, a clampinember pivoted between said guide flanges adjacent one end of the rear side of said face plate, inter-engaging means normally acting to retain said face plate and said clamping member against relative movement, an angularly disposed jaw formed at the pivted end of said clamping member and adapted to clamp the belt end against the rear side of said fate plate when operative, said clamping member having its opposite end curved inwardly toward the rear side of said face plate for supplementing the clamping action of said jaw and having a circular opening formed intermediate its ends, said jaw having a slotted opening formed intermediate its ends, a snap member hav ing an eyelet at one end for the attachment thereto of the opposite end of the belt, a substantially circular enlargement formed centrally of said snap member and having shoulders at the opposite sides thereof spaced from the said eyelet, resilientlatch arms extending forwardy from said enlargement, and having oppositely headed ends, said snap member being adapted to be inserted through the circular opening of said clamping member for the engagement of said latch arms in the slotted opening of said jaw and whereby the shouldered portions of said enlargement will engage between said clamping member and the clamped end of the belt when the belt is tightened about the wearen and spaced lugs formed at the forward side of the circular opening of said clamping member for the abutting against the same of the headed ends of said latch arms when the latter are fully operative.

F. EDlVA-RD FORSELL. 

